Apparatus, method and system for topological channel assignment for focused beam, fixed wireless telecommunications

Abstract

An apparatus, method and system are provided for topological channel assignment for focused beam, fixed wireless telecommunications. The preferred system embodiment includes a plurality of transceivers coupled to a telecommunications switch, in which each transceiver utilizes a narrow focused beam on the order of ten degrees, for full duplex communication with fixed customer premise equipment. The geographic region is topologically divided, preferably, into a plurality of adjacent cells, in which each adjacent cell utilizes a distinctive, orthogonal code set from a 10 MHz spectrum. As channels, the various code assignments may be dynamically determined at any given time. The switch includes instructions for determining the cell configurations, determining an available channel (code) set for a selected cell, and within the selected cell, determining the plurality of focused beam ranges to create a corresponding plurality of sectors. Within each sector, the focused beams of the adjacent sectors typically spread or interfere into the given sector, creating interference regions. The switch includes further instructions for determining a plurality of channel subsets for the corresponding plurality of sectors, wherein each channel subset consists of the available channel set excluding an exclusion channel subset of a plurality of exclusion channel subsets; and for each interference region, the switch includes further instructions for assigning the exclusion channel subset of an adjacent sector of the plurality of sectors.

We claim:  
     
       1. A method for topological channel assignment for focused beam, fixed wireless telecommunications, the method comprising: 
       (a) determining a cell configuration to form a plurality of adjacent cells;  
       (b) determining an available channel set, of a plurality of available channel sets, for a selected cell of the plurality of adjacent cells;  
       (c) within the selected cell, determining a plurality of focused beam ranges to create a corresponding plurality of sectors and a corresponding plurality of interference regions;  
       (d) determining a plurality of channel subsets for the corresponding plurality of sectors, wherein each channel subset of the plurality of channel subsets consists of the available channel set excluding an exclusion channel subset of a plurality of exclusion channel subsets; and  
       (e) for each interference region of the plurality of interference regions, assigning the exclusion channel subset of an adjacent sector of the plurality of sectors.  
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       (f) repeating steps (b) through (e), inclusive, for each selected cell of the plurality of adjacent cells.  
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein step (b) further comprises: 
       determining the plurality of available channel sets for a corresponding plurality of adjacent cells, wherein each available channel set is distinctive from each other available channel set of the plurality of available channel sets.  
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising: 
       assigning the available channel set to the selected cell which is distinctive from each of the other available channel sets assigned to each adjacent cell of the plurality of adjacent cells.  
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the available channel set of the plurality of available channel sets is an orthogonal code set from a 10 MHz spectrum. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cell configuration is a hexagonal topology and wherein three orthogonal code sets comprise the plurality of available channel sets. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each focused beam range of the plurality of focused beam ranges is between eight degrees and sixty degrees. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein each interference region of the plurality of interference regions is between two degrees and fifteen degrees. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein channel assignment is dynamically determined based upon a plurality of density characteristics. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of density characteristics include usage levels and geographic locations of a plurality of customer premise equipment. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of available channel sets are formed by time division. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of available channel sets are formed by frequency division. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
       determining the plurality of channel subsets as a number of channel subsets equal to the arithmetic sum of (1+RSI), wherein RSI is a smallest ratio of (a sector range of a selected sector of the plurality of sectors) to (a range of an interference region of the selected sector), and wherein when RSI is fractional, RSI is rounded to the next lowest integer value.  
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein steps (d) and (e) further comprise: 
       for a first sector of the plurality of sectors, determining a first selected channel subset and an exclusion channel subset from the available channel set, and from the first selected channel subset, assigning a first channel subset for a first interference region of the first sector and a second channel subset for a second interference region of the first sector; and  
       for a next adjacent sector, determining and assigning a next selected channel subset and a next exclusion channel subset from the available channel set, with a previous second channel subset of a previous adjacent sector forming the next exclusion channel subset, and from the next selected channel subset, assigning a previous exclusion channel subset for the first interference region of the next adjacent sector, and assigning a next second channel subset for the second interference region of the next adjacent sector.  
     
     
       15. An apparatus for topological channel assignment for focused beam, fixed wireless telecommunications, the apparatus comprising: 
       a network interface;  
       a memory; and  
       a processor coupled to the network interface and to the memory, wherein the processor includes instructions for determining a cell configuration to form a plurality of adjacent cells; determining an available channel set, of a plurality of available channel sets, for a selected cell of the plurality of adjacent cells, and within the selected cell, determining a plurality of focused beam ranges to create a corresponding plurality of sectors and a corresponding plurality of interference regions; the processor including further instructions for determining a plurality of channel subsets for the corresponding plurality of sectors, wherein each channel subset of the plurality of channel subsets consists of the available channel set excluding an exclusion channel subset of a plurality of exclusion channel subsets; and for each interference region of the plurality of interference regions, the processor including further instructions for assigning the exclusion channel subset of an adjacent sector of the plurality of sectors.  
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the processor includes further instructions for determining and assigning a plurality of channel subsets for the plurality of sectors, for each selected cell of the plurality of adjacent cells. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the processor includes further instructions for determining a plurality of available channel sets for a corresponding plurality of adjacent cells, wherein each available channel set is distinctive from each other available channel set of the plurality of available channel sets. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the processor includes further instructions for assigning the available channel set to the selected cell which is distinctive from each of the other available channel sets assigned to each adjacent cell of the plurality of adjacent cells. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the processor includes further instructions for determining the plurality of available channel sets as orthogonal code sets from a 10 MHz spectrum. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the processor includes further instructions for determining the cell configuration as a hexagonal topology and for determining the plurality of available channel sets as three orthogonal code sets. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the processor includes further instructions for determining each focused beam range of the plurality of focused beam ranges to be between eight degrees and sixty degrees. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each interference region of the plurality of interference regions is between two degrees and fifteen degrees. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the processor includes further instructions for dynamically determining channel assignment based upon a plurality of density characteristics. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the plurality of density characteristics include usage levels and geographic locations of a plurality of customer premise equipment. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the processor includes further instructions for determining the plurality of available channel sets by time division. 
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the processor includes further instructions for determining the plurality of available channel sets by frequency division. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the processor includes further instructions for determining the plurality of channel subsets as a number of channel subsets equal to the arithmetic sum of (1+RSI), wherein RSI is a smallest ratio of (a sector range of a selected sector of the plurality of sectors) to (a range of an interference region of the selected sector), and wherein when RSI is fractional, RSI is rounded to the next lowest integer value. 
     
     
       28. The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the processor includes further instructions, for a first sector of the plurality of sectors, for determining a first selected channel subset and an exclusion channel subset from the available channel set, and from the first selected channel subset, assigning a first channel subset for a first interference region of the first sector and a second channel subset for a second interference region of the first sector; and wherein the processor includes further instructions, for a next adjacent sector, for determining and assigning a next selected channel subset and a next exclusion channel subset from the available channel set, with a previous second channel subset of a previous adjacent sector forming the next exclusion channel subset, and from the next selected channel subset, assigning a previous exclusion channel subset for the first interference region of the next adjacent sector, and assigning a next second channel subset for the second interference region of the next adjacent sector. 
     
     
       29. A system for topological channel assignment for focused beam, fixed wireless telecommunications, the system comprising: 
       a plurality of transceivers, each transceiver of the plurality of transceivers having a focused beam range, of a plurality of focused beam ranges; and  
       a switch coupled to the plurality of transceivers, wherein the switch includes instructions for determining a cell configuration to form a plurality of adjacent cells, for determining an available channel set, of a plurality of available channel sets, for a selected cell of the plurality of adjacent cells, and within the selected cell, for determining the plurality of focused beam ranges to create a corresponding plurality of sectors and a corresponding plurality of interference regions; the switch including further instructions for determining a plurality of channel subsets for the corresponding plurality of sectors, wherein each channel subset of the plurality of channel subsets consists of the available channel set excluding an exclusion channel subset of a plurality of exclusion channel subsets; and for each interference region of the plurality of interference regions, the switch including further instructions for assigning the exclusion channel subset of an adjacent sector of the plurality of sectors.  
     
     
       30. The system of  claim 29 , wherein the switch includes further instructions for determining and assigning a plurality of channel subsets for the plurality of sectors, for each selected cell of the plurality of adjacent cells. 
     
     
       31. The system of  claim 29 , wherein the switch includes further instructions for determining a plurality of available channel sets for a corresponding plurality of adjacent cells, wherein each available channel set is distinctive from each other available channel set of the plurality of available channel sets. 
     
     
       32. The system of  claim 31 , wherein the switch includes further instructions for assigning the available channel set to the selected cell which is distinctive from each of the other available channel sets assigned to each adjacent cell of the plurality of adjacent cells. 
     
     
       33. The system of  claim 29 , wherein the switch includes further instructions for determining the plurality of available channel sets as orthogonal code sets from a 10 MHz spectrum. 
     
     
       34. The system of  claim 29 , wherein the switch includes further instructions for determining the cell configuration as a hexagonal topology and for determining the plurality of available channel sets as three orthogonal code sets. 
     
     
       35. The system of  claim 29 , wherein the switch includes further instructions for determining each focused beam range of the plurality of focused beam ranges to be between eight degrees and sixty degrees. 
     
     
       36. The system of  claim 29 , wherein each interference region of the plurality of interference regions is between two degrees and fifteen degrees. 
     
     
       37. The system of  claim 29 , wherein the switch includes further instructions for dynamically determining channel assignment based upon a plurality of density characteristics. 
     
     
       38. The system of  claim 37 , wherein the plurality of density characteristics include usage levels and geographic locations of a plurality of customer premise equipment. 
     
     
       39. The system of  claim 29 , wherein the switch includes further instructions for determining the plurality of available channel sets by time division. 
     
     
       40. The system of  claim 29 , wherein the switch includes further instructions for determining the plurality of available channel sets by frequency division. 
     
     
       41. The system of  claim 29 , wherein the switch includes further instructions for determining the plurality of channel subsets as a number of channel subsets equal to the arithmetic sum of (1+RSI), wherein RSI is a smallest ratio of (a sector range of a selected sector of the plurality of sectors) to (a range of an interference region of the selected sector), and wherein when RSI is fractional, RSI is rounded to the next lowest integer value. 
     
     
       42. The system of  claim 29 , wherein the switch includes further instructions, for a first sector of the plurality of sectors, for determining a first selected channel subset and an exclusion channel subset from the available channel set, and from the first selected channel subset, assigning a first channel subset for a first interference region of the first sector and a second channel subset for a second interference region of the first sector; and wherein the switch includes further instructions, for a next adjacent sector, for determining and assigning a next selected channel subset and a next exclusion channel subset from the available channel set, with a previous second channel subset of a previous adjacent sector forming the next exclusion channel subset, and from the next selected channel subset, assigning a previous exclusion channel subset for the first interference region of the next adjacent sector, and assigning a next second channel subset for the second interference region of the next adjacent sector.